‘I make exuberant, joyful, outrageous pots, which challenge the traditional view of functional ceramics. Each hand made piece is a one-off sculpture, a work of art in its own right’. Julia Roxburgh gained her BA in Ceramics at Bristol in 1984, and went on to work for six years as a theatrical prop maker in London. ‘I worked in the theatre for a long time,’ explains Julia. ‘For years I’ve been interested in clowns. If the Moscow State Circus comes, I’ll be there because I love the costumes. ‘I did things like Cats and Miss Saigon. I’d always wanted to work in the theatre and I got the job because I was dexterous and artistic. If I was given a brief I could make whatever it was they needed.’ In 1991, Julia moved to Newcastle upon Tyne where she embarked upon her two-pronged career as a potter and mother. Theatre and the circus remain major influences on her work today. She describes her work thus: ‘Flamboyant slip decoration embellishes strong, bold forms while slightly over-the-top Baroque modelled details, lend a whimsical touch of humour.’ Vibrant colour and glittering gilt finishes complete the dramatic and luxurious effect. Her brightest pieces are finished with real gold and she routinely fires her ceramics four times in the kiln to achieve the desired, richly patterned and thickly glazed effect